MANDATORY FIELDTRIPS to Pompeii & Ostia: Friday & Saturday, March 21 & 22

This course examines Roman visual culture in Italy from c. 800 B.C. to c. 400 AD by focusing on the most important surviving sites in Rome and its environs and in the areas hit by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. A focus throughout the course is the development of Roman cities and towns, their plans and topography, their public monuments and their political, economic, social, and religious institutions. We will also study private architecture: from the aristocratic city-house to the country villa to middle class homes. In addition to formal descriptions of the structures, there is a strong emphasis on the role of the monument in ancient society. The course will be conducted entirely on-site, the fieldtrips to Pompeii and Ostia are therefore mandatory, and may be supported by in-class lectures and activities.

ATTENTION: classes on campus start at 8:30!! Check carefully the course schedule!! 

Students are introduced to the terminology and different methods of art historical analysis and are prepared to use critical thought in investigating the historical, political, religious, economic  and social context of material culture. The first-hand experience of monuments and their environment encourages also to compare and contrast Roman cities o the own contemporary urban culture and to identify the ongoing contribution of Roman systems to modern conceptions.

The nature of the different assessment methods aims to apply critical thought in examining a complex culture (exams), to employ accurate vocabulary for evaluating material (visual analyses), to strengthen  presentation and communication skills (oral report) and to empathize with a specific Roman social and cultural historical context (paper).

This course relies on student participation in class and on-site lectures and discussions. Therefore, promptness and
attendance are mandatory, and students are highly recommended to complete the readings before each lesson - in
order to be prepared to answer and to ask thoughtful questions - as well as to review material covered in class on a
regular basis. Students are responsible on the midterm and final exams for all material including images covered in the
readings and handouts. Punctuality is essential as most of the classes have pre-booked timed entrances and leave immediately from the indicated meeting points. Therefore, eventual absences should be communicated timely to the professor. Excessive absences will result - out of the nature of an on-site class - in a poorer performance and in a lower final class grade.  

Please refer to JCU's Catalog for a statement regarding absence and grading policies!

Attention: for technical and especially legal reasons NO VISITORS (family, friends, etc.) are allowed to follow class!!

This is a TENTATIVE SCHEDULE subject to change regarding the access to museums and monumental areas following up the Italian regulations with respect to the pandemic crisis and accordingly to tickets availability!

IMPORTANT NOTE: classes on campus start at 8:30!!

Regular on-site classes at 9:15 at the scheduled Meeting place! Check carefully the schedule, please!

MANDATORY FIELDTRIPS to Pompeii & Ostia: Friday & Saturday, March 21st & 22nd

Each fieldtrip has the value of two regular classes and therefore some regular Tuesday classes are cancelled to be used for the fieldtrips! See details below here in the schedule!

Class 1 (Jan 21)

INTRODUCTION 1) course requirements & logistics; documentary sources;

& ROME’s chronology, topography and mythological background.

MP: at 8:30!! on campus in GKG1 (Guarini campus)  

Reading: Stambaugh 1-4 (introd.); Coarelli 1-9 (introd.); Claridge 31-36 (documentary sources);

recommended: Ramage introd.; Connolly & Dodge 102-121 (chron. overview).

Class 2 (Jan 28)

INTRODUCTION 2) discussion of oral report & paper topics; Roman cities: urban planning, theory and practice (on campus);

& ROME's foundation: Tiber & Island, Velabrum, Palatine & Capitoline Hill (on-site);

MP: at 8:30!! in GKG1 for the first part; then class goes together on-site for the second part.

Reading: Stambaugh ch.1 & 15; Claridge 37-59 (glossary, building-types), 226 (Tiber Island), 125 (Palatine, hut of Romulus), 229-232, 238-241 (Capitoline, T. of Jupiter);

recommended: Stambaugh ch.16, 19 & 20 (other Roman cities); Ramage ch.1 (24-29, 32-39, 53-55).

Class 3 (Feb 4)

ROME'S RISE TO LEADING CITY IN THE MEDITERRANEAN: along the triumphal road, victory temples, porticoes and theatres.

QUIZ 1 (done at end of class) 

MP: Largo Argentina in front of Feltrinelli bookstore (at regular on-site meeting time 9:15)

Reading: Stambaugh ch. 2, 3 & 13; Claridge 214-219 (Theatre of Pompey, victory Temples of Largo Argentina), 242-247, 222 (T. Apollo Med., Theatre of Marcellus, Porticus of Octavia), 250-258 (Archaic temples, Portunus-temple, Round temple (Hercules), Ara Maxima);

recommended: Connolly & Dodge 182-189 (theatres); Ramage ch. 2 (56, 80-81, 95).

Class 4 (Feb 11)

THE ROMAN FORUM: from marshy valley to the political, religious and commercial center of the Republican city and of early Imperial politics.

QUIZ 2 (done at end of class)

MP: on Capitoline Hill (Piazza del Campidoglio)

Reading: Stambaugh ch. 2, 3 (review), 6 & 7; Claridge 60-74 (Roman Forum, Curia, Comitium, Basilica Aemilia), 80-82 (Temple of Saturn, Rostra), 85-91 (pavement, Basilica Iulia, Temple of Castor), 97-106 (Temple of Divus Iulius, Arch of Augustus, Temple of Vesta, Atrium Vestae, Regia);

recommended: Connolly & Dodge 122-133 (government, food and water), 170-175 (many gods).

Tuesday, Feb 18 - NO CLASS – time used for field trips!!

Class 5 (Feb 25)

Augustus and the DEVELOPMENT OF CAMPUS MARTIUS: Mausoleum of Augustus, Ara Pacis Augustae, Horologium, Pantheon (Agrippa), Baths and Stagnum of Agrippa.

Discussion of midterm study guide.

VISUAL ANALYSIS 1 (done during class)

MP: in front of Ara Pacis Museum, near Ponte Cavour – MIC card needed!

Reading: Stambaugh ch. 4; Claridge 176-192 (Campus Martius, Mausoleum of Augustus, Ara Pacis, Sundial), 201-208 (Pantheon, Baths of Agrippa, Basilica of Neptune);

recommended: Zanker (Power of Images) 30-37, 72-77, 167-183.

Review of course material in regard of midterm exam (prepare material for discussion of study guide!)

Class 6 (March 4)

MIDTERM exam

MP:  at 8:25!! in GKG1

Tuesday, March 11: NO CLASS - spring break

Class 7 (March 18, regular Tuesday, class on campus, 8:30- 11:15)

INTRODUCTION to POMPEII and OSTIA & students’ ORAL REPORTS on monuments of these two cities

                                                                (to be crisply reviewed during our fieldtrips).

Due: oral report in class (accompanied by handout and slides) & summary (submitted to Moodle)

MP:  at 8:30!! room tba

Reading: Stambaugh ch. 17 (Pompeii) & 18 (Ostia);

Recommended: get a look at assigned readings for the fieldtrips.

Class 8 & 9: FRIDAY, March 21

Field trip to POMPEII: a flourishing city in the province. History, design, function etc. of the city from the early days to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

QUIZ 3 (done at end of class) 

MP: Piazza Trilussa, at 6.50!! (departure on private bus at sharp 7.00)!!

Reading: Stambaugh ch. 11, 12; Cantarella & Jacobelli 7-14,24-35, 46-86 (A Day in Pompeii), 88-120 (monuments);

recommended: Zanker (Pompeii) 1-25 (Townscape and Domestic Taste), 27-77 (Urban Space), 135-156 (The Domestic Arts in Pompeii), 192-203 (Domestic Taste and Cultural Identity).

Class 10: SATURDAY, March 22

Field trip to OSTIA, the seaport of Rome: Ostia Antica and its topography, history, economy and infrastructures, its house architecture and religious buildings.

VISUAL ANALYSIS 2 (done during class)

Due: first paper ideas (brief oral statement in class)

MP: We will meet at 9:30 in front of Metro B stop Piramide at Piazzale Ostiense and take together the Ostia Lido train!!

Reading: Stambaugh ch. 8, 9, 10, 13; Coarelli 450-476 (Ostia);

recommended: www.ostia-antica.org; Connolly & Dodge 126-149 (food and water, houses and apartments).

Tuesday, March 25  - NO CLASS – time used for field trips!!

Recommended to work on paper

Class 11 (April 1)

The TRANSFORMATION OF THE CITY under the Julio-Claudian and Flavian emperors: Imperial residences, Palatine Hill, Arch of Titus, Colosseum.

Due: paper settings (brief intro of paper’s character, time frame & sites; to be submitted on Moodle)

MP: at Arch of Constantine (near Colosseum) - Forum MEMBERSHIP card needed!

Reading: Stambaugh ch. 5 (67-78) & 14; Claridge 11-17, 116-118 (Arch of Titus), 119-145 (Palatine Hill), 271, 276-284 (Colosseum), 290 (Nero's Golden House);

recommended: Connolly & Dodge 218-225 (palace), 190-217 (Colossseum).

Class 12 (April 8)

The Imperial Fora and Trajan's markets: drastic CHANGES IN THE URBAN DESIGN reflect Imperial qualities.

Due: update on paper progress (brief oral presentation in class for general discussion)

QUIZ 4 (done at end of class) 

MP: Capitoline Hill (Piazza del Campidoglio) – MIC card needed!

Reading: Stambaugh ch.5 (67-77), ch.9; Claridge 147ff (Imperial Fora and Trajan's Column and Markets).

recommended: Ramage ch. 6 (Trajan).

Class 13 (April 15)

The RESHAPING OF THE CAMPUS MARTIUS by Domitian and the Good emperors:  Imperial cult and entertainment.

QUIZ 5 (done at end of class) 

Due: paper outline (submitted on Moodle and brief oral presentation in class for last adjustments)

MP: in front of Pantheon

Reading: Stambaugh ch. 5 (72-81) & 14; Claridge 193-214 (Column of Antoninus Pius and of Marcus Aurelius, Hadrianeum, Pantheon, Stadium of Domitian), 369ff. (Mausoleum of Hadrian);

recommended: Ramage ch.7 (229-240, 248-251), ch.8 (257-276, 281).

Tuesday, April 22 - NO CLASS – time used for field trips!!

Due: paper final draft (submitted through Moodle, no later than Thursday, April 24)

recommended to review class material accordingly to final study guide!

Class 14 (April 29)

The late Imperial CITY IN TRANSITION from Pagan to Christian.

Conclusion of course;

Discussion of final exam study guide.

MP: on Capitoline Hill (Piazza del campidoglio)

Reading: Stambaugh ch.5 (The Later Empire); Claridge 70-76 (Curia, Arch of Septimius Severus), 83 -84 (Decennalia Base, Column of Phocas), 107-115 (Temples of Faustina, Romulus, Venus and Roma, Basilica Nova), 272-275 (Arch of Constantine); 346-350 (Lateran);

recommended: Ramage ch.9 282-289302-307), ch.10 (211f, 318-320), ch.11 (325-332), ch.12 (343-348, 350-353, 365).

Week 15 (May 5 - 9): FINAL EXAM tba

Assigned or recommended readings, out of:

Cantarella, E. and Jacobelli, L. (2003) A Day in Pompeii: daily life, culture and society;

Claridge, A. (1998) Rome. (Oxford Archaeological Guide). Oxford UP

Coarelli, F. (2007) Rome and Environs. An Archaeological Guide.U of California P

Connolly, P. and Dodge, H. (1998) The Ancient City. Life in Classical Athens and Rome;

La Regina, A. (2004) Archaeological Guide to Rome. Electa

Ramage, N.H. and Ramage, A. (1995) Roman Art. Laurence King

Scarre, C. (1995) Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Rome. Penguin Books

Stambaugh, J. (1988) The Ancient Roman City. Johns Hopkins UP

Zanker, P. (1995) Pompeii: Public and Private Life;

Zanker, P. (1988) The Power of Images in the Age of Augustus. U of Michigan P

Selection of other useful books (a more detailed list will be provided in class):

Abbondanza, L. (1997), The Valley of the Colosseum (Electa Guide);

Aldrete, G. (2004) Daily Life in the Roman City; Rome, Ostia and Pompeii;

Boardman, J. (ed.) (2001), The Oxford Illustrated History of the Roman World;

Clarke, J.R. (1991) The Houses of Roman Italy;

Coulston, J and Dodge, H. (eds.) (2000) Ancient Rome: The Archaeology f the Eternal City;

Favro, D. (1996) The Urban Image of Augustan Rome;

Gallina Zevi, A. and Claridge, A. (eds.) (1996) 'Roman Ostia' revisited;

Giustozzi, N. (ed.) (2006), The Capitoline Museums (Electa Guide);

Grant, M. (1974) Cities of Vesuvius: Pompeii and Herculaneum;

Guidobaldi, P. (1998) The Roman Forum (Electa guide);

Hermansen, G. (1982) Ostia: Aspects of Roman City Life;

Koehne, E. and Ewigleben C. (eds.) (2000) Gladiators and Caesars;

La Regina, A. (2004) Archaeologocial Guide to Rome (Electa Guide);

Piranomonte, M. (1998) The Baths of Caracalla (Electa Guide);

Richardson, L.Jr. (1992) A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome;

Shelton, J.-A- (1997) As the Romans Did: A Sourcebook in the Roman Social History;

Tomei, E. (1998) The Palatine (Electa Guide);

Wallace-Hadrill, A. (1994) Houses and Society in Pompeii and Herculaneum;